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Today’s Examples Of Republicans Believe In Fiscal Accountability (Except When They Don’t)

by TwoPuttTommy on July 7, 2011

Immediately after last November’s election, the Republican Party of Minnesota (“RPM”) demanded – yes, “demanded” – Minnesota’s counties make thousands and thousands and thousands of copies for the upcoming recount of the governor’s race. And the RPM demanded – yes, “demanded” – that all that copying be done immediately. Not surprisingly, payment by the RPM to MN Counties for services rendered has NOT been “immediate” nor “prompt” nor “timely.” Far from it, as has been documented over and Over and OVER and OVER – and that’s just here on MPP. As previously noted, SallyJo at Bluestem Prairie has been all over this one, too.

As have a lot of people. Jeff Rosenberg at MnPublius , early in the month last March, (last March!!!) pointed out a quote by the Mower County Auditor/Treasurer:

“Since December, I’ve had repeated conversations about when we’ll get paid,” said Doug Groh, auditor/treasurer of Mower County. “I had no problem with the Democrats paying, but the Republicans are fudging, because they’re short of money – that’s what I was told in December.”

Since then, Groh said, he’s been told the invoice was lost; on three different occasions, he was told – literally – the check was in the mail.

So when you read the following quote – you might think it, too, has to do with Tony Sutton’s RPM stiffing Minnesota Counties on the rightfully owed Recount bills:

“Not paying vendors on a timely basis, berating them when they call for payment, and then refusing to pay interest charges owed them for services rendered in good faith.”

Yep! Sounds EXACTLY like what FEC Tony’s RPM has been doin’ lately!!!

Well, except for the interest charges; the Counties haven’t been charging interest.

But that quote’s actually from several years ago.

You see, the RPM is notorious for it’s internal financial mismanagement. And I’m calling Minnesota’s GOP party “RPM” because that’s how they’re referred to by the Federal Elections Commission- a Federal Elections Commission that’s very familiar with the RPM (“Republican Party of Minnesota”) and Tony Sutton – reasons that cause me to refer to Tony Sutton, current chair of the RPM, as “FEC Tony.”

Something that’s been percolating around my brain for a while is a question about this Tony Sutton dude. No, not whether the Mexican restaurant chain is introducing a line of chimichangas named after prominent GOP gasbags, but his new gig as Chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota. As I read about his new job, I had this sneaking suspicion that his name was not entirely new to me, that there was something in the past that he’d done.

Then it came flooding back to me. This Sutton guy was, before ascending to the throne room at the RPM, the treasurer of the RPM. He’s the one whose name is most closely associated with the horrific accounting and auditing nightmare that is the treasury of the RPM. He’s been front and center in that complaint filed with the Federal Elections Commission and he’s the one who has had rather pointed questions directed at him by the FEC here, here, here, and here. He also had to send in those humiliating letters – over and over and over again – stating that “An amended report correcting this error will be filed when the committee’s internal audit has been completed.” In short, he was apparently the doofus in charge as this mess was allowed to fester and grow into what some think will eventually lead to the largest FEC fine in history for poor bookkeeping.

For most of us, being so intimately connected with this monumental mess would be such a professional embarrassment that we’d slink off to North Dakota or something. We’d at least have the good sense to drop out of politics.

Yes, this quote – “Not paying vendors on a timely basis, berating them when they call for payment, and then refusing to pay interest charges owed them for services rendered in god faith.” – is from a RPM Staffer, back in February 2007, back when FEC Tony was RPM Treasurer.

This quote - “Since December, I’ve had repeated conversations about when we’ll get paid,” said Doug Groh, auditor/treasurer of Mower County. “I had no problem with the Democrats paying, but the Republicans are fudging, because they’re short of money – that’s what I was told in December.” – is from a RPM Vendor, this year, with FEC Tony as the RPM Chair.

And how does the GOP Faithful reward FEC Tony for his financial mismanagement – besides promoting him from the elected Treasurer to Chair?

If there were any justice in this world, whey you googled “Peter Principle” a picture of FEC Tony would pop up – a picture from back during his tenure as RPM Treasurer, that is. Because as those two quotes show, the more things change, the more the fiscal mismanagement at the RPM doesn’t.

Hey – at least FEC Tony is on the RPM Payroll; the RPM Deputy Chair – Michael Brodkorb – well, the RPM stuck him on the Taxpayer’s tab.

Reasonable people have no reason to reasonably believe anything the RPM says. This whole sordid and scandalous RPM County Recount saga demonstrates once again that Republicans believe in fiscal accountability (except when they don’t) – and that Republicans are always demanding “fiscal responsibility” – of OTHERS.